Revelation
by Silvercreekmama
Summary: This is a continuation of my story 'Squirrel' that was set immediately after Merle's death. Daryl must find a way to navigate his grief and the integration of Woodbury while adjusting to his and Carol's newfound love. Rated M for Dixon mouth and later smut.
1. Chapter 1

**Wheeeee, here we go, buckle up! Just a bit of fluff to start us off! I definately think Daryl deserves a decent meal!**

Daryl moving into Carol's cell had been easy enough. He had sat back on his bike and watched as she and Herschel had welcomed the people to their new home. As soon as everyone was sitting in the common room Rick and Carol began to work out the logistics feeding and bedding everyone that first night. The rest of the original prison group ran to grab sheets and blankets from storage areas and food from Woodbury's stash that had yet to be unloaded. As soon as Daryl was sure every one else had their attention elsewhere he slipped up to the perch, gathered up his meager belongings and took them to her cell. Volunteering for first watch only made sense as he knew Rick had other fish to fry at the moment and the fact that Cell Block C had suddenly become very crowded. He had just gotten truly comfortable with being a functioning member of a group of less than a dozen people, now that number had more than doubled instantly. He knew it was the right thing but that didn't make it any easier to get used to.

After talking to Rick he had sought out Carol as he made his way to the remaining tower knowing she would be bustling around her little kitchen area like a mad woman. One of the Woodbury women had offered to help her, which he was grateful for, but that made the scene a lot more uncomfortable for him. What was he supposed to do? He was totally new at this. Daryl knew he needed to tell her he had watch before he went out, or else she would worry about him and then spend time hunting him with his supper plate instead of just heading out to the tower. But then what? In the past he would have just nodded and then headed out but that didn't feel appropriate after they had just declared their love the day before in the tower, both out loud and physically.

Daryl could feel the tips of his ears began to burn at the the thought of just how "physical" they had gotten. His knees were still sore from kneeling in front of that chair he had sat her in and he didn't mind a damn bit. In fact it kind of made him feel like walking around with a 'shit eating' grin now that he had relaxed a little from the violence and loss of the last two days. _C'mon man, get your ass out to that tower! The last thing you need to be doing is walking around like 'Chester the Molester' with a hard on, especially with all these old folks and kids._

Like he had thought, Carol was standing at the small counter excitedly measuring what looked like flour and dried milk into a bowl while the other woman was setting up one of the stand alone propane burners they had brought from Woodbury. He slipped up next to her and asked, "What'cha makin?" He winced as he said it. _Great job loverboy!, _his inner voice was full of sarcasm. Daryl didn't want to think about it right now, but that inner voice sounded a whole lot like Merle.

Carol jumped and then turned her face up to him smiling one of the biggest smiles he had ever seen.

"Daryl! You would think I would be used to you sneaking up on me by now! And I can't tell you what I'm making, it's a surprise!"

He couldn't help but smile a little at her excitement. She had been as stressed as everyone else had been with the war, maybe even more so since she had known best how precarious their food situation had been only the day before. She continued on, introducing him to the new woman. He gave a polite nod and then added to Carol nervously, " I ...ah...got watch until midnight so you'll have to bring my supper out to the tower."

"OK, " she said, "Be careful, I'll be out as soon as it's done and we get everyone fed!" Carol then hesitated and then looked at him kind of expectantly.

_Oh shit! _he panicked, _what do I do? _Carol must have read his face because her nose crinkled like it did when she wanted to laugh, and she quickly lifted up on her toes and gave him a quick peck on the cheek. He could feel the blush coming so he quickly stumbled out a "Bye" before turning and heading out as fast as he could without running. As he reached the outside door he heard the Woodbury woman, who Carol had told him was named Deena remark pleasantly, "Oh, so that's your man then." He looked over his shoulder just in time to see Carol nod her head and smile as she went about her work. _Her man. _ It was honestly the proudest moment of his life.

Daryl's mood quickly soured, however, as the sun set on the tower. He usually relished his alone time, but now it was just filled with thoughts of Merle and truth that the Governer was still alive out there, as evil and insane as ever after killing almost all of his own army.

Daryl was leaning propped up on the edge of the sill of the broken window with a scowl on his face when Carol quietly climbed the stairs a few hours later with his supper in her hands and a water bottle under her arm. She hadn't even had enough time to set the cloth covered plates down before he turned and growled, "What the hell are you doin' crossin that yard by yourself after dark?!"

Carol turned from the plates now on the communication console and faced Daryl, her eyebrow quirked questioningly. "You told me to bring your supper out here? Same as I've been doing since we moved here?"

"Well, time for a change. From now on, if it's after dark, either have another man bring it out to me or I'll wait and eat when I get inside."

"Daryl, what is this about? Are you angry at me for something?" She crossed the tower and wrapped her arms around his waist. He only slightly flinched when she touched him and then scrubbed his face with his hands as he sagged into her embrace. _Asshole,_ he thought. _Keep it up. She won't tolerate your shit for long._

Daryl dropped his forehead to hers as he spoke, his voice a degree or two softer than before. "Hell no I ain't mad at ya. It's just...Andrea ain't even cold in the ground yet and Axel died out in that yard not long ago either" He slipped his arms around her as he continued. "You were standin right next to'im...while I was out in the woods with..."

Carol placed her forehead on his chest, knowing he wouldn't do well with eye contact while being emotional. She answered softly, "It's okay to grieve him. You can't hold all this yourself."

He kept his arms around her and his chin on top of her head for several long minutes. When she felt his breathing slow and muscles begin to relax she dared to look up and ask "You hungry?"

When he nodded she slipped out of his arms and grabbed the larger of the still covered plates. He started to sit on the floor but she motioned to the metal folding chair. Carol waited until he sat and then whipped the cover off the plate as she handed it to him.

"Shit..." he whispered as he took the plate. She had said she had a surprise for him but he hadn't imagined this. The plate was overflowing with food. Fried spam sat in the middle, surrounded by a mountain of mashed potatoes with gravy, green beans, and two biscuits were balanced precariously on top.

"Well, Daryl, are you going to eat it or just stare at it?" she teased as she held out a fork that she had whipped out of her back pocket. After he grabbed the fork she moved to sit on the floor beside him. Before her butt could contact the concrete he dropped the fork onto his plate and gently but firmly grabbed her elbow. He shook his head at her and then guided her to sit on one of his wide spread knees as he ate, her feet on the floor between his own. They fell into a comfortable silence that was only broken when Daryl took a bite of one of the biscuits, and groaned in pleasure before turning to her with wide eyes to ask "How'd you know?"

Carol looked at the ceiling innocently, "Know what?"

"You know damn well what!"

"Ooooooh," Carol kept up the innocent act, "You mean the honey I put in the biscuits? I seem to remember somebody liked that better than jelly when we were at Herschel's."

He smirked up at her before continuing with the food. _She remembered that after all these months. No way in hell I'm ever going to deserve her._

Carol continued on as Daryl finished the food. He would look up and nod occasionally as he listened.

"Of course, the vegetables are canned and the potatoes are powdered, and I wish we had some butter but it's a kings treasure after watching you work yourself so hard all winter hunting to feed us. Maybe you can get some rest now that it's not such an immediate need and you don't have to go out as much."

Daryl sighed contentedly as he settled the empty plate down on the floor beside him and pulled Carol close to press a thankful kiss to her temple. He had actually planned on slipping out early the next morning to head out into the woods for awhile and avoid the crowd but even he knew this wasn't the time to bring it up. Might as well not, Rick wanted another cell block cleared as soon as possible to accomodate the new people and he couldn't argue with that at all. After a few minutes of sitting with her head on Daryl's chest Carol popped up.

"Oh, I've got something else..."

Daryl remembered the smaller plate that was left and groaned, "Damn, woman, you trying to kill me? I cain't handle anymore food right now!" He was honestly fuller than he could remember being in the last year.

"No, not that," she dismissed, flapping her hand in the direction where it sat.

Carol stood for a moment, pulling something from the same pocket she had found the fork. As she sat she added, "Now, a year ago I wouldn't have been like this but, I think lung cancer is smallest of our worries right now. I know smoking relaxes you." She waved a unopened pack of cigarettes in his astonished face as she explained that she had gotten the pack from Deena whose husband had kept a carton back from the Woodbury common stores and then had been killed on the road between the two groups. Carol watched, smiling, as he cracked open the pack almost reverently, knocking it against the back of his other hand to extract one, and then lit up with a lighter he pulled from one of his vest pockets. He took a drag, blowing smoke out of the side of his mouth opposite her face, and then looked up at her. "I love you." he stated plainly. She chuckled, "Mr. Dixon, if I knew that all it took to get that out of you was a decent meal and some smokes I would have done it a long time ago."

They both laughed a little and she kissed him, this time on the lips, their tongues meeting for a few minutes before she curled back up with her head on his shoulder so he could finish smoking. That surprised him, he had expected her to move away after he lit up.

Once he finished and crushed the butt out on the heel of his boot, he patted her back and said "Better go back, I'm gonna fall asleep if I just keep sitting here with a full belly and smokes." _And with you all warm in my lap, _he added mentally.

"Unless you..."

"Want to fuck?" she finished for him, clapping a hand to her mouth as red crept up her face to her ears. He almost fumbled her off his leg in his surprise. That was the first time he had heard her say that word outside of when...Now it his turn to blush as he remembered he was sitting in the chair they had abused so liberally less than two days before. He playfully scowled at her to hide his embarrassment.

"Watch it, sewer mouth. You must be hangin around the wrong people."

She frowned. " Nope, I'm hanging around with just the right people." She moved in to kiss him again but after only a few moments he gently pushed her away, groaning.

"Yeah, I want to too, but I can't be on watch and protect your ass at the same time I got my hands all over it. Now g'on." he added, giving her bottom a pat as she stood, obviously disappointed. "Besides, what I was gonna ask was if you had any whiskey hidden in those magic pockets of yours." She threw her hands up and shrugged "Sorry."

"Just as much, couldn't be on watch with that either."

Daryl watched from the tower as she made her way back to C block, not moving until he saw the door close behind her. He adjusted the front of his pants that had grown tight in the minutes before. It was going to be a long time until his replacement came on at midnight. He searched the sparse guard room for something to occupy himself besides the memories from earlier. His eyes fell on the plate that had yet to be uncovered. He grunted when he removed the small dishtowel.

"Damn..."

_That woman IS trying to kill me, _he thought as he leaned out the window into the night air, cake in one hand, fork in another.


	2. Chapter 2

**Hmmm, Daryl's well fed now and about to get off watch. Carol's got some plans but she forgot to factor in that Dixon's rarely follow the plans of others...**

After leaving the tower, Carol busied herself cleaning her little kitchen area and setting out everything for breakfast the next morning. A 20 pound bucket of oats, several jars of jelly, and a can of coffee were stacked neatly next to the countertop. She smiled a little as she found the big bottle of honey she had used on Daryl's biscuits earlier and added it to the pile. It made her heart swell to be able to finally spoil him a little. She had forced herself to not dwell on how the Governor's men had acquired the supplies and focused on how she could use them for the man she loved. Daryl had put himself through so much just to keep the group fed, warm, and safe since they had left the farm. His pants had started to sag around his hips lately and his shirts had started to look too big. As far as she was concerned it was time to fix that. It was time he got to eat and sleep decently instead of going without both for the good of the group. Her mouth turned up in one corner as she finished her work, thinking of just what other ways she had of spoiling him.

Beth entered the room humming a tune to Judith in her arms, pulling Carol from her thoughts.

"Beth, honey, I can take Judith, I know you're tired. I'm almost finished in here." Carol offered as she set the last of the next mornings breakfast in place.

Beth smiled and shook her head. "No Carol, it's ok. I had Rick move her bed into mine and Daddy's cell for tonight. You and Daryl need your sleep." The girl ducked her head to blow kisses on the baby's belly as she tried to hide her reddened cheeks while she giggled out the last word.

Carol turned from the counter to face Beth fully and cross her arms across her chest. "Beth? What are you getting at?"

"Carol, everyone saw that Daryl had moved his things from the perch to your cell. And yesterday when he was crazy and you went out to the tower, Glenn started worrying that you had been up there so long. He and Maggie started out there and didn't get halfway before they heard you. Maggie told me they could hear you all the way down in the yard." The girl looked at the floor as she whispered, unable to meet the older woman's eye.

Carol dropped her face into her hands, totally embarrassed. After forcing her self to breathe normally she spoke. "Oh...My...God! Beth! Daryl would die if he knew that!"

"Well, he won't." the girl said, looking up. "Maggie told Glenn that if he dared to say something to him she would cut him off for a month. She did tell Rick and he made sure everyone knew to leave y'all alone."

Carol nodded, able to breathe a little easier. Beth added, "Maggie told me to let you know if you needed some of their..." she dropped her voice to a whisper for the rest "well...you know...to let her know. "

Carol sighed patted Beth's shoulder as she passed. "Tell her I said thank you, but that factory closed a long time ago."

Carol passed through the common area and up to their cell, now with renewed intent. Since she wouldn't have the baby tonight she would be able to make their first chance to share a bed special. Of course it couldn't be as athletic or passionate as their time in the tower had been. Their were just too many people in the cell block right now. But she could still make it memorable. She had work to do before midnight.

TWDTWDTWDTWDTWDTWDTWDTWDTWDTWDTEDTWDTWD

Carol had finished up and slid under the covers about an hour before she heard Daryl making his way up the metal steps. She blew out the single candle she had been reading by and slipped her book under the bed a split second before he slid through the cell door and lifted the sheets she had hung across the whole front of the cell for privacy. For this to work it needed to be almost totally dark. Years of night time hunting and tracking had given him the ability to maneuver his way around in almost no light. She was counting on him not needing a candle to get ready for bed. She tried to relax and act like she was sleeping. Daryl slipped his bow off his back and then removed his vest, hanging it at the foot of the bunk. His leather sleeved shirt came next and then the bed shifted under her as he sat and removed his boots.

Carol knew she would never be able to convince him to sleep completely shirtless, no matter how much privacy they had. He would always feel like he had to be ready to jump up at a moments notice in case of danger to her or the group. There was no way he would ever risk anyone besides her seeing his scars. She was okay with that, just having him open up to her was more than she ever could have hoped for.

Daryl slid under the covers and began to murmur , "I know yer not asl..." he fell silent and his eyes narrowed as he touched her bare hip. He leaned over and hissed in her ear.

"What the HELL?!"

Her secret was out. She slid her naked body against his clothed one and bowed her head to his neck, tracing her tongue over the tender skin under his ear. Daryl stiffened and pulled her away just enough to bring her face back to see his. He made no move to speak this time, just giving his head a quick shake and jerked his chin at the door. _No! Too many people too close!_

She tried her best to give him a 'come hither' look while bringing her hand up to place her finger across his lips. She made a quiet "shhhhhhhh" sound and then moved her other hand to cup the growing hardness at the front of his pants. She was surprised the look Daryl leveled at her didn't peel the paint off the wall behind her head. He snatched the finger off his mouth and bent to her ear again.

"It ain't ME I'm fuckin worried about dammit! Your ass was loud the last time we did this."

Carol looked up at him pleadingly, pointed to her chest and then placed her finger over her own lips. _I'll be quiet, I promise._

Carol quickly flicked open the button of his jeans and slid the zipper down. She slid her hand inside and gripped him firmly. He was already rock hard. Daryl stifled a groan and buried his head in her shoulder. He breathed "That's not fair, ya know I cain't think straight when you do that." That's exactly what she had been counting on. She had never taken charge like this before and was having fun. It was time to spoil her man a little more.

Carol scooted over to press herself against the wall and pushed Daryl to lie on his back next to her. She worked to unbutton his shirt and just pressed it open get herself access. Crawling over him to kneel between his legs in the darkness, she pressed wet kisses along his chest and then lower. She smiled to herself as she heard his breath grow faster as she neared his waistband. His hands were ghosting over her shoulders and upper back.

Carol knelt back a little and gripped the side of his waist band with her right hand and gave his leg a quick pat with the other. _Lift up! _ He obliged her silent command with unsteady legs. It was clear he had realized what was about to happen. She stripped his jeans and under wear completely off to give herself room to work and dropped the clothes soundlessly into the floor. Continuing the path she had abandoned to deal with the barriers , Carol worked her way down to his throbbing member. She licked her lips and then slipped just the tip in her mouth.

Immediately Daryl's hand tightened in her hair almost painfully and she saw his other move above his head to grip the metal of the bunk frame. She didn't move knowing he needed some time to acclimate to the new sensation.

In a few seconds his hand loosened a little on her head and she dared to take more of him in her mouth. Carol already knew from her previous encounter with him that there was no way she was going to be able to take the whole thing but she took as much as she could and then circled her fist firmly around the base. She honestly had the same level of experience with this as he did, which was non-existant. Ed had always said only whores gave blow jobs. That was the last thing she felt like right now. This would be the only man she would ever do this for.

The taste of it surprised her. It was just like the rest of his body, just a little stronger and with a slight tang of salt. She loved it, just like she loved everything else about the man trembling beneath her. Carol tried to find a rhythm and soon Daryl was silently bucking up to meet her. She took her free hand and cupped his scrotum, then tugged gently. His hand tightened in her hair again and the click and then grind of his back teeth was evident in the darkness. His tell was already familiar to her. He was fighting not to come yet.

Suddenly she was being drug up the length of his hard body and she found herself nose to nose with a panting, sweaty, sexy mess of a man. She tried to twist out of his grip on her arms back down to what she had planned to finish but Daryl held her fast, his cock throbbing and bumping the inside of her thigh. After a few moments he swallowed hard, opened his eyes, and shook his head at her. She nodded back emphatically, disagreeing, and tried to twist back down again but he cupped her face to force her look at him and mouthed silently, "Not this time, ok?"

She nodded and would have pouted a little. But his expression changed. He had gained a bit of control again and was determined to use it. Daryl smirked up at her evilly. She could practically see the wheels moving in his head. Carol's stomach started to quiver. The plans she had for tonight were about to get deliciously derailed.


	3. Chapter 3

**Something about having to remain silent during sex just seems to make it dangerous and more ellicit. Carol has opened a door to a side of Daryl she may not be prepared for. Then again, it may be just what she needs too. The hunter has been away from the wild too long. Time to get feral...**

****Something in Daryl's head had just snapped. He heard it as clearly as a rain soaked branch breaking in a thunderstorm. The stress of the last twenty four hours, having to remain quiet, and the fact his woman had been waiting for him _fucking naked_ _and_ _ready _had nearly pushed him over the edge. And then she had put her mouth on him, _around him, hot and wet and more than willing._ At first he had tried to hold on, to slow it down, and then he had felt her cool hand, softer than soft, slide over his _goddamn nuts, _and pull, not painfully but a sweet _pressure _that had him tasting blood. He had bit through the skin on his own lip and not even felt it. If he didn't stop it, stop her this was going to end too soon. And he had too many images of bad, dirty, _FUCKIN INCREDIBLE THINGS_ _he had to do with her, TO her _for this to end now. It took every bit of willpower he had left that hadn't already drained down into his dick to pull her up to his face and convince her to stop.

But first he was going to have to get some room, this tiny bunk bunk wasn't going to let him do shit. Daryl slid out from under a wide eyed Carol, turning her onto her back, and pushed her down into the mattress, finger pointed at her chest. _Don't move!_ She nodded. He silently slid from the bunk, stood, and pulled the sheet covered mattress from the top bunk in one movement, careful to let only the swish of nylon sliding over the metal rails enter the air. He eased it down onto the floor without a sound and pulled Carol onto it, situating himself halfway over her, his leg firmly between hers.

The kiss couldn't really be called a kiss, more him attacking her mouth with his. For the first second she didn't respond in kind but he ground his thigh into her wetness and the hand he wasn't supporting himself with found her breast. He rolled the nipple between thumb and forefinger roughly and she exploded to life beneath him. One of her hands wound itself into his hair and pushed him into her harder. The other clutched at his back, he could feel her nails prick the skin of one of his scars. _Yeah, that's it, woman. Mark me over, make me over again._

_THE FUCK?! _ He pulled back, his tongue going to the throbbing corner of his own mouth. _Did she just BITE ME?_ The unashamed lusty look on her face gave him his answer. He dove into the side of her neck with a snarl. _Good girl, _he thought. _But payback's a bitch, darlin'._

He made his way from her jaw, licking and then sucking her skin between his teeth. He had no thought for the reprocussions of his actions, the purple crescents that would be evident to others in the daylight. Only the base animalistic need to mark what was his controlled him. _She GAVE herself to me in that tower. But I'm the one thats fuckin owned._

Carol writhed and bucked beneath him, trying to grind her core into his hip. Daryl slid his hand from her breast and down her stomach. Her thighs were already spread and thrust up to meet his hand as his fingers found their home. There was no exploring or teasing. Time for that was over, he only wanted her to come under him, fast and HARD.

He ducked his head to the breast he had abandoned,sucked the nipple and scraped his teeth over it. Carol made a single soft keening noise in her throat and he shifted his body enough to move his weight to his left elbow next to her head and hovered his hand over her jaw, ready. With his right, he pulled back the hood that protected her treasure from too much sensation with his index finger. He only had to flick once, twice, three times with his middle one before she arched violently and sucked in a lungful of air. Quick as a rattlesnake, Daryl snapped his left hand over her mouth and pressed his forehead to hers. He kept his eyes locked to her own, drowning in the franticness of her blue the whole time. He rode out her orgasm with her, one hand working between her legs and the other stifling her screams.

Only when he was sure he had pushed her limits of pleasure, and then a little more did he remove his hands and let her settle, jerking and weak beneath him. He took his wet slick fingers and put them in his own mouth. Licking her off them, he groaned at the taste as she watched.

Daryl didn't feel like Daryl anymore, or the hunter either. He was an animal. He was an Alpha wolf about to claim his bitch, or maybe a buck preparing to mount his doe. And there was only one way he knew those animals did that.

With a hand on one of Carol's hips he flipped her over onto her stomach. A strong arm under her pelvis pulled up and back and she was on her knees, chest pressing into the mattress. She pushed back eagerly against him. He grabbed her ass almost cruelly. Maybe he wasn't an animal. Maybe he was a demon like the ones that warred across his back in ink. And she was his angel, the only thing that stood between his sanity and the hell they lived in now.

_Oh, HELL YES! _ Daryl reached back behind him and snagged his vest that hung on the end of the bunk. He held it in one hand and used the other to pull her up onto her knees. She didn't hesitate or question as he slipped it on her arms and onto her shoulders._ Like she can read my fuckin mind._

He licked and then nipped her neck a single time before pushing her back down to face the floor. He kneed her legs farther apart and then dropped his hand to his cock to guide it to her. His eyes never left his wings now on her back as he entered her hard. No teeth grinding, no distractions to hold off, no hesitation. He pounded and she met him, bracing herself stroke for stroke. He was close to the edge when he registered her hand slipping between her legs. _Too late, I'm almost gone._

But his angel was sliding her hand _past_ her own body to grasp his already tightening sac as it moved against her. She rolled it once and he was undone. He pounded into her erraticly and dug into the flesh of her hips so hard that she would find purpling finger marks the next day as a reminder and blush at the memory.

White hot lights flashed behind his eyelids and he thrust a final time. A single word slipped out in a strangled growl.

"Mine..."

Somehow, a demon had found passage into paradise.

**Remember, reviews are love! I hope you enjoyed!**


	4. Chapter 4

**I would like to thank EVERYONE for all the kind reviews. Knowing when you like something and when you don't not only improves the quality of my writing but also encourages me to keep posting regularly. I would like to address one review in particular.**

**SOA Loving Mom: I appreciate your kindness but as far as I am concerned YOU are the Queen of Smut! Chapter 35 of Winters Heat, hello? I am content to remain an adoring member of your court. :)**

**On to our story. ** We** just got a fix of smut, so it's time to deal with that little thing called plot. Daryl's getting antsy and Carol know theirs only one fix for that. And no, not what your thinking...**

Daryl and Carol only gotten to make love twice more in the month since Woodbury arrived, mostly just due to pure exhaustion. Carol alternated nights caring for Judith with Beth and then been assumed to be the head of the kitchens. She had taken the job seriously. After seeing her loved ones hungry so many times in the last year she had been determined to use the new provisions in the least wasteful way possible. Long days had been spent cataloging and arranging storage of the food from Woodbury. Then add on developing meal plans and overseeing meal prep and clean up and she would be falling into bed as soon as supper was cleaned up and breakfast supplies set out for the next morning. On the nights that she had the baby, Carol would doze off with Judith between her and the wall and get up to fix her a bottle when Daryl got off watch at midnight. Then they would fall asleep together, facing, the baby snuggled between their chests. Carol knew this was probably the closest she would ever get to knowing what it would be like to have a child with him, so she would try to memorize the way he would throw his arm over the both of them protectively or stroke the baby's head with his calloused fingers as he slept before falling herself.

She had tried once to get him to take the top bunk on those nights so he could have more room to rest. But he had just given her one of his 'you know better than that' scowls and she had dropped the subject. Carol had counted herself lucky to have gotten Daryl to stop sleeping in his day clothes. A pair of mens knit sleep pants had popped up in the clothing brought back from a run one day and Carol had grabbed them as soon as she saw the size was close enough and the design. The fact that they were grey and covered in black motorcycles could only help her cause.

The shirt had been a trickier matter. A regular t-shirt had seemed too much, and a 'wife beater' wouldn't be enough to cover the marks that crept almost up to the edge of his shoulder. She was also pretty sure the slang name for those would remind him of enough of Ed to refuse to wear them any way. She had finally resorted to one of Daryl's own tricks and cut the sleeves out of a couple of fresh out of the pack tees. She had, however, hemmed the edges so they wouldn't shred as fast as his regular clothes did. She had just handed him the clothes the night that the men had repaired the showers when it was his turn to finally go stand under hot water for the first time in a year. Daryl had hesitated at first but then gave a smirk and took the clothes after he noticed the motorcycles and absent sleeves. However, that had been after he had a few hours to calm down after his altercation with Tyreese.

It had been 2 weeks since their group size had more than doubled when Rick had decided to clear the showers and get them functional. It had been the most logical move after clearing Cell Block D for the new group members. Carol hadn't seen the actual incident but Glenn had told her enough. The men had cleared the hallway and communal shower room which had gone well enough. They had then set to work on the plumbing and getting the solar panels from Woodbury hooked up from the water heaters. Glenn and Rick had naturally gravitated to work with Daryl on the plumbing and Tyreese had invited himself along. Things had went well at first but then Tyreese had casually brought up women as a natural part of the 'man talk' he had been used to in the locker rooms as a ex-football player.

Carol had dropped her her head into her hands when Glenn got to that point in the story. She pretty much had an idea of what was coming and Glenn confirmed it. Tyreese had mentioned Carol's good cooking and how Daryl was a lucky man. Daryl had tolerated that, just giving the man a warning look. But then Tyreese had gone on to mentioned Carol's having a nice ass. Most men would had laughed that off with a 'yeah, she does, lucky me'. CaroL was well aware that her man wasn't like most.

Glenn and Rick had both dove between the men as the words dropped out of Tyreeses mouth. Daryl had chucked the heavy wrench he was using at Tyreese so hard that it had broken a patch of heavy tile less than an inch to the side of his head. Only quick reflexes had saved the ex-athlete from stitches and a possible fractured skull. Daryl had then went for the buck knife at his waist. It had taken Glenn and Rick both to pull an enraged Daryl back into the cell block. She had heard him all the way in the food storage closet as he let Tyreese know what he would do if he ever looked at any part of Carol again. The places he swore he would put an arrow were all much more painful sounding than the proverbial 'to the knee'. He had only shut up when Rick had threatened to lock him in a cell over night to cool off. Rick thought that had worked because of Daryl's claustrophobia but Carol knew better. It would have meant he couldn't sleep between her and their cell door.

That night he had made love to her so tenderly that she knew it was his way of apologizing to her for his actions. They had reveled in each others newly showered bodies, even though the alternative hadn't ever put them off the same activities they had shared before. But after they had finished, his sleep heavy arm over her waist as he snored lightly behind her, she worried. She wasn't the one that needed apologizing to.

Honestly, Carol couldn't say say she hadn't seen some kind of blow up coming. Daryl had made no effort to be around any of the Woodbury people. He spent all his waking hours either on watch, working clearing and repairing their home, or in their cell. In fact, he seemed to have taken a step back with the rest of the group as well. He had lost all of his smart assed fun he had with Glenn before the war, and only spoke to Rick to suss out the plans for the next day. It was obvious that his loyalty still lay with their group, but outside of her and Judith, he was traveling back toward the loner he had been on the farm. Carol was desperate for the key to help set him back on the positive direction he had been on.

She knew the fact that he hadn't properly mourned Merle was a large part of it. He hadn't even spoken of him since the first night back from Woodbury. And those few words in the tower were no where near enough. But mourning is a thing she wasn't prepared to push until he was ready, which he obviously wasn't.

But getting outside the prison walls was a big part too. She had first thought the increased resources would allow him a rest from hunting. The time away from the wild had only proved to make him even more _restless _than ever. Daryl practically vibrated with tension anytime he was anywhere but in their bed. That was a situation she was pretty sure she could help fix.

She had posed it just as an absent minded remark. She was a smart enough woman to know men tend to agree with ideas they believe are their own. She had been laying in bed a couple nights after the showers incident and mentioned how she missed fresh meat. She had already noticed the nights had started to get brisk which meant time was getting close for the deer to begin their yearly rut. Which she was sure meant Daryl knew time for good hunting (or as good as it got now that they competed with the walkers) was upon them. Actually, she had caught him near the fence searching the tree line a couple times already. He had said he was looking for sign of walker herds but she knew that wasn't the type of herd he was searching for. Daryl was hoping for the sign of a bucks rack, or the flash of a white tail in the tree shadows.

Daryl had immediately been fully awake the second she mentioned the possibility. At first, he had hemmed and hawwed, for her sake she was sure. But then he had said he would go out if she _had _to have some fresh venison for the kitchen. She had smiled and they both had soon fell heavily asleep. If only she had known then that one conversation would be a pivotal point on which a whole families lives and Daryl's permenant sanity would eventually hang.


	5. Chapter 5

**Thanks for the reviews! I want to apologize for any typos (I found some repeated and dropped words in my last chapter). Our computer was stolen a couple months ago so I am writing on my iphone. **

**Daryl is finally going to get out for a bit. What's going to happen while he is gone?**

Carol began to breathe a little easier once Daryl began to prepare for his hunt. Some weight had seemed to lift from his shoulders at just the thought of getting away from the crowds. He even joked a little with Glenn and Rick in the four days between the decision to go and actually departing. The phase of the moon was the reason he gave for not heading out immediately. However, Carol had her suspicions. Tyreese and Sasha were scheduled to make an overnight run the same day Daryl had planned on leaving for the day. It was evident to Carol that Daryl was preventing her from being alone around Tyreese. Many women would have been offended and thought Daryl didn't trust them. But she knew Daryl's quirks and decided to let it slide. He was worried about her safety, like always.

Besides that issue, Carol found it cute, almost to being comical how well he prepared for a day long trip. In his excitement to get back out in the woods he almost seemed like a little boy preparing for his first camping trip. Every spare minute was used to prepare the little gear that he carried. New arrows were made, fletched, and re-checked to make sure they flew true. His buck knife had been sharpened to a razors edge. He didn't ask Carol to prepare some trail food but he didn't have to. In the past he would go hungry or just eat some of his catch. But there was no way she was going to let that happen with all the provisions they had.

Even with Tyreese gone Daryl wasn't totally comfortable leaving Carol. Carol also worried about his welfare outside the fence, but she knew he was more at home in the woods than within the prison despite the walkers. He mentioned heading out to Yellow Jacket Creek in a way that had Carol wondering if the place had something to do with Merle. She hoped maybe he would get some peace on that issue while he was gone also.

That morning, Daryl had slipped out of bed before the first rays of sun streaked the sky. Carol would always be amazed at his internal alarm clock. Sleeping in wasn't even in his vocabulary. She knew he was trying not to wake her but she wanted to see him off. This was his first real hunt since they had become...well, Carol couldn't exactly say what they were. Boyfriend and girlfriend seemed juvenile. Husband and wife didn't sound right either even though she knew both their dedication to the other ran that deep. She was content to be considered his woman and he her man. Maybe that's what marriage in this new world amounted to now that there were no court houses and laws.

Daryl was slipping his bow on his back as Carol sat on the side of the bed. He grinned and said "Mornin' sleepyhead" when she had hissed as her feet touched the cold concrete floor.

"How can you tell? It's still dark." She padded over to where he stood and wrapped her arms around his waist. Daryl returned the embrace and placed his chin on her head.

"Hell, it's almost late to leave for huntin!" he laughed and kissed her forehead.

Carol squinted up at him through sleep bleary eyes and asked sarcasticly "You're not excited or anything are you?"

"Nope!" Daryl kissed her on the mouth this time. The kiss was sweet and gentle at first but got a little heated toward the end. One of Daryl's hands slipped under her tee shirt to caress her breast. Carol groaned and tried to pull him back to bed. Daryl huffed and stood his ground "Now, woman, I'm 'sposed to be going out to get a big buck, not stayin in to get a little ass!"

Carol punched him in the arm. "Fine, then keep your hands to yourself Mr. Grabby!"

They slipped downstairs quietly side by side. Carol had pulled out the packets of food she had prepared from the kitchen and helped him put them in his pack. Daryl scowled playfully and asked "Damn, woman, I ain't leavin but for a day. Ya packed enough food for a week." Carol just made a face, she knew he needed someone to think about his comfort for once in his life and that he actually appreciated it.

They walked out to the gate, shoulders brushing with every other step, an easy silence between them. Carol couldn't help but beam up at him as they leaned against the chainlink.

"You look so happy, I'm surprised you're not skipping."

"Ain't never skipped in m'life not startin' now." He didn't try to hide his grin.

They had held one another for a brief moment before sharing a few quiet words. Daryl checked the knife on her belt one last time (he had sharpened it to a razor's edge the night before) and reminded her to keep it on all the time. She rolled her eyes and huffed but agreed. Then he had slipped through the gate and she had locked it behind him, arms wrapped around herself as she watched him move to the shadows of the tree line. They were beyond tearful goodbyes. Besides, he needed this so badly. Carol was confident that he was safer outside the walls of their home for one day than all of them would be if he stayed cooped up.

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Carol stood at the counter starting lunch when Carl ran into the kitchen from where he had been on watch with Glenn.

"Where's Dad?!"

Carol whirled around without even dropping the can of potatoes in her hand. "What's wrong?!"

"We have people at the gate. A family, want to know if they can come in."

"Go, he's in the common area with Herschel!"

Carol set down the food, and grabbed her rifle from where it sat behind the makeshift kitchen area. She then made her way out to the yard, making sure she had cover in case the new people made trouble while still staying close enough to get a look.

The first vehicle was a black half ton king cab truck that pulled what looked like a stock trailer. A man stood to the side of it, hands in the air as Glenn talked to him through the fence with his gun raised. He looked to be very tall, well over six foot with a powerful build. He was wearing a camo t-shirt and khaki cargo shorts. She could see movement behind the front windows of the truck but nothing enough that she could identify how many others were inside.

The second vehicle was a white passenger van, covered in mud and dents like most of their cars these days. Carol could make out what seemed to be a woman behind the wheel but at that distance she couldn't be sure.

Rick rushed past her, Carl and Herschel hot on his heels. Rick acknowledged her with a hand on her shoulder as he passed but didn't speak. She was doing what she was supposed to do, stay out of sight and be ready to fire.

Rick conversed with the man through the fence, then Herschel joined in. Carl just kept his head down, eyeing the whole group suspiciously under the brim of his dad's hat, hand never leaving the butt of his gun.

After what seemed like hours (but was probably in all truth not more than ten minutes) Rick turned on his heels and trotted to Carol's spot. He stopped at her side for a second just long enough to speak and jerk open the door to the cell block.

"C'mon. We gotta talk."

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"Rick, truthfully. Do you want me to give you what I think would be Daryl's answer or do you want me to tell you what I think we should do?"

Carol paced in the dining area in front of the table where Rick sat, an ankle crossed over the opposite knee.

"Carol, I just want to know your opinion. Do we lettem in or not? Herschel says yes but you know the fact that they have livestock is swaying him. He's been aching for some kind of sustainability here since we took this place."

"And what do you think?"

"I don't know! We took on a lot when we took on Woodbury's folks. But these people could contribute a lot more."

Carol moved to sit across from him. If she was going to have to stand in Daryl's spot in their leadership while he was gone, she was going to get as much information as she could before she made her decision.

"How much more? Besides the animals?"

"Alot. The wife was a nurse, they have medical supplies. Some weapons, of course but not close to what we have here. Some long term storage foods. They lived on a homestead about an hour north of here outside of Rome. They were overrun a few months ago by a herd but had enough advance warning to pack up."

"Do you catch even a whiff of the Governor on them?"

Rick sighed before answering. "No, no way he would give us that many supplies. More likely he would send one or two people with nothing, thinking we would be more likely to let them in."

"If they are so set up with supplies then why do they need us though?"

"Basically, the animals. They haven't been able to graze them, been having to feed them sacked grain only and keep'em confined. Said they already lost a couple goats to sickness. They actually asked to set up camp between the inner and outer fences. That the animals would help keep the grass down for better visibility. It makes sense."

Carol sat back and looked at the ceiling but before she could speak Rick cleared his throat.

"They've got kids Carol. Little ones..."

She sat forward. "How many?"

"A bunch. I know I saw five in that truck."

Carol's hands went to her mouth and she slowly nodded.

"We can't say no..."

"Carol, I didn't tell you that to force your hand..."

"I know that, I was going to say yes anyway. Herschel is right, we have to start building some kind of civilization, some kind of sustainability. I'm just warning you, about Daryl..."

"He's gonna be pissed."

"Yes, I know he wouldn't have wanted to let them in. But he's not here and you asked me. I'll deal with him when he gets back."

Rick nodded before rising. "I guess I better go unlock the gate then, get these folks settled."

Carol rose also, headed in the opposite direction "I'll get Deena to handle my lunch duties. I want to help, get a feel for them because Daryl's going to be grilling me when he gets here. I'll be right out."

She ran her hands through her hair. Grilling would be the least she would get from Daryl when he got back later that night and saw they had let this large of a group in without his input.


	6. Chapter 6

**This chapter was one of those that just wrote itself once I got started, I was just along for the ride. I hope that's a good thing. Please don't get mad for where I ended it. I almost didn't but it's way better this way. Please review, tell me what you liked and what you didn't!**

It was the biggest damn buck had seen since the dead had risen.

Daryl had been about halfway to Yellow Jacket Creek when he spotted the antler rub on the big oak. The trail had been evident from there. "Yep, big boy is too concerned with gettin laid to watch himself.", he had thought to himself as he climbed the tree that sat over what was obviously a well traveled spot.

He pulled out one of the packets Carol had placed in his pack as he waited. It was filled with trail mix, the kind with almonds, his favorite even though he wouldn't admit that out loud. He noticed a difference after a few handfuls and squinted down at what remained in his hand. The ratio was off, with many more chocolate chips than he knew were in the original container in the kitchen.

"Fuckin woman", he muttered with a smirk, "gonna make my ass too fat to climb up in these trees."

Daryl had sat for only around two hours (from what he could tell) when the doe had edged into the clear spot under the tree. He didn't shoulder the bow, remaining in his same position as he watched her. He knew the rutting buck would be hot on her trail, and he would provide more meat than she would.

Animal nature proved true when the movement of a rack rustled nearby bushes and what had to be two hundred pounds of groceries (as far as Daryl was concerned) walked into the clearing. He remained still, intending to let them mate before taking the shot. He had been concerned with overhunting the area around the prison, and giving this buck a chance to pass on his genes would give them a better chance for food down the line if by some miracle they were able to stay there another year or two.

After the usual grunting and mating rituals the buck had mounted the doe, an act Daryl had witnessed countless times before. But this time he had his own point of reference as his mind drifted back to his and Carol's first time in their cell. He had felt like an animal himself, acting on pure instinct and need. Afterward he was afraid he had been too rough but Carol had just giggled and said she was flattered that she had made him lose control like that. She had no idea just what she did to him.

He was so lost in his own thoughts that he almost missed it when the buck dismounted with a deep "hrumph" and sauntered to the shadows of the neighboring trees. Daryl came back to himself with a quick jerk, shouldered the bow and let the arrow fly in one smooth motion. It was a perfect heart shot, anything less at that close would have been embarrassing. He saw the flash of white out of the corner of his eye as the doe bounded away, even before the buck hit the ground. He climbed down out of the tree, and quickly pulled the rope out of his pack, setting up a makeshift way to bleed and gut his kill. This had to be quick, this much scent would surely attract every geek in the area.

Daryl soon had the animal field dressed and on a makeshift travois he had fashioned out of downed limbs. He looked down at the bucks hamstrings he held in his hand. He didn't think God or the Great Spirit or whatever there was existed anymore in this world. But he did hold to tradition and it didn't hurt to hedge your bets when you could. The hamstrings were placed over a branch of the tree he hoped was out of reach of the normal sized walker and he tipped his head back to give a terse nod, his best 'thanks'.

The liver sat on top of the animal where he had laid it after digging it out of the gut pile. He wasn't wasting anything, Woodbury might not know what it was like to go hungry but his group (_his family_) certainly did. If any of the new folks turned up their noses at liver they could skip a meal as far as he was concerned. He cut a strip from it with his knife before tucking what remained into the body cavity to keep the flys off. He didn't even grimace at the familiar iron rich taste as he chewed. The hamstrings may be about thanks but the fresh liver represented strength. He had needed plenty of that in the last year and probably would again sometime soon.

The travois had worked well and he wasn't completely exhausted by the time the outer gate of the prison came into view. He wouldn't admit it to himself, but part of him was excited about showing Carol his kill. She would be proud, he was sure. She always was, whether he brought in a load of venison or just a scrawny owl like their first night at the prison. She would also be as careful as he had been not to waste. It was one of the things he loved most about her, how she seemed to be his other half.

Daryl shook his head. Damn woman was making him soft, he was thinking about all this fluffy shit when he needed to be hauling ass to get this meat processed before it went bad. He topped the final knoll that separated him from his home. The lopsided grin he had on his face instantly hardened into a grimace as his boots froze midstep.

His end of the travois hit the ground and he was behind a nearby tree in less than a second. "FUCK!" he hissed as he slammed the back of his head against the trunk to clear his now panicked thoughts. Two unfamiliar vehicles, plus what looked like some kind of trailer were in the grass between the inner and outer fences. His mind raced, trying to recall if he had seen any of them during his time at Woodbury or when the Governor had attacked before. But his memory wasn't helping, he had been too busy with Merle the first time and down in the tombs with Carol the second.

_Carol_

His heart lurched. _Please, woman, tell me you stayed inside today like I asked you to._

He turned to chance a look around the side of the tree, careful to keep his body out of the line of sight. He could see two unfamiliar people, a big blonde man, around Tyreese's size stood to the front of the black truck, looking like he was talking to someone out of sight on the other side. What looked to be a much shorter woman was busy at the back of a beat up white van, pulling what no doubt were weapons out of the back. The only ones he saw was a shotgun with the guy and then what looked like a recurve bow slung over the womans' shoulder. He paused for a moment at the woman. _Who the fuck wears colors that bright now? Fine, it just makes it easier for me to put an arrow through you at this distance._

What really worried him was that damn trailer. Even from here he could tell it was rocking on it's axles. He thought back to the 'walker bomb' truck that had nearly ended so badly the last time.

That trailer was full of walkers and they were about to open the doors.

Daryl loaded the bow and took a deep breath. It looked to be only two people, three at the most. For all he knew it could be the Governor himself who stood on the other side of that truck. They didn't know he was here, he could drop two of them before they could even figure out where the arrows were coming from. He brought the bow up and swung around the tree. He sighted on the man first, knowing it would take the woman longer to ready her weapon.

His finger was just tightening on the trigger when a very familiar head of short salt and pepper curls emerged from around the truck and moved directly into his crosshairs.


	7. Chapter 7

**Lol, bless y'all! Thank you for all the reviews so far and concern for Carol. The action and angst muses are really speaking today so I am updating again. (Actually, I think Arrow in a Broken Branch tired out the smut muse so she shut up and let someone else talk for once) y'all know the drill, read and review, let me know what you like and what you don't. Please and thank you!**

One twitch of his shoulders. That was exactly what had stood between him and killing her. And if he had, he had no doubt that his next move would have been to pull the big buck knife from the sheath at his waist and cut his own throat where he stood.

Instead, there had been a visceral NO! that had shocked his body. Not a real thought, just a gut wrenching internal scream that caused him to jerk his stance to the left just enough, even as his finger pulled the trigger, to send the arrow gliding silently parallel to the south side of the fence line.

So now Daryl knelt behind the tree, dry heaving after losing the remains of his trail mix all over the pine needles at his feet. He wiped his mouth and then drove the heels of his hands into his closed eyelids, trying to drive the image of her face in the optics of the crossbow out of his head.

_Almost...I almost...FUCK...Carol, so close...SHUT UP! SHUT UP AND QUIT ACTING LIKE A DAMN PUSSY! She WILL be dead if you don't quit ACTING LIKE A LITTLE BITCH AND DO SOMETHING! _

Daryl stood back up and squinted back at the prison even as his stomach tried to continue it's revolt. Rick had now come into view, standing with Carol between the two strangers. No wonder no one from the prison, not even Glenn who was supposed to be on watch right now, was taking a shot. They were being held hostage. Rick he could understand, he would have been the first to rush out to protect their home. But why Carol? Why hadn't she stayed inside until he came in, like he had asked her to as he left this morning? Something about this was off, but he couldn't put his finger on it exactly.

It didn't matter anyway, he had to take these people out, one way or another. The problem was, he couldn't take the shot with Rick and Carol that close. He had to figure out a way to tell them to get out of the way without alerting the others.

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"And this is Carol, she's the head of our kitchens."

Carol shook the hand of the pink shirt clad woman, who she now knew was named Amber, as Rick finished the introductions.

"Daryl, my second in command, is her...um..."

Carol raised an eyebrow in Rick's direction as he fumbled. _My what?_

"uh, husband? He's out on a hunt right now but should be back around sunset."

Carol shot Rick an amused look and he just shrugged his shoulders as if to ask _Well, what do you want me to say?_

They quickly went to work helping the young family unload their things and place them on the prison side of the vehicles. The majority of the children in the truck had fallen asleep in the cool breeze that was blowing in the windows so they had elected to leave them there for the moment, with the oldest, a girl around ten with hair the same color as her fathers to watch over them. Carol quickly pushed away the realization that the girl reminded her of Sophia. Instead, she focused on making conversation with the mother, which wasn't difficult at all. She was very talkative, but not in a bad way. She just seemed to be glad to have another woman to talk to after months on the road with just her husband and children for conversation. She also made it clear that she understood their need for information as a security precaution.

So Carol had verbally poked and prodded as they unloaded their supplies and Amber had answered excitedly, easily offering more than what was asked

Her husbands name was Leon, he had been a church pastor right outside the city of Rome which was an hour north of the prison. Amber had been a stay at home mom at the time of the outbreak, but had been a nurse, with ten years of emergency and surgical experience before that. They had four biological children and had finalized the adoption of a sibling group of three foster children a month before the dead began to rise. Carol raised an eyebrow curiously. That certainly explained why the youngest two childrens skin color, a beautiful deep chocolate brown that reminded her of Michonne, was so obviously different from their parents. But the numbers didn't add up. There were only six children in the truck and none in the supply laden van.

Without looking up from the case of cans in her hands Amber answered the unspoken question quietly. "There was another. Our youngest, Molly, had a twin sister Megan. They were one when it all started. Their biological mother had some problems and Megan was born with birth defects. She was dependent on medications that we couldn't get once everything shut down." She wiped her eyes once with the back of her hand before finishing. "She's buried back at our house."

Carol felt like a fool. She of all people should have realized the truth. In this world, you just had to assume a person's family were dead if they weren't by their side.

Carol put her hand gently on the younger brunnette's arm. "I'm sorry. I know how you feel. Truly, I do."

Amber had nodded back, seeming understanding her own unspoken admission. They had gotten back to work, resuming with lighter topics of conversation. Halfway through the van they had hit the food supplies, including five gallon buckets of beans, rice, and other dried foods. Carol could have jumped for joy. The addition of staples like these could help the kitchen for months. There was a disconcerting fact though. She was familiar with the exact brand and packaging. It was the same type of stuff Ed used to order. Apparently this family was also fairly hardcore survivalists.

Carol couldn't help the sick feeling that overwhelmed her stomach but after looking at the animated (and unbruised) woman, her children, and her what appeared to be a gentle giant husband, she decided she saw no signs of what she had endured in silence so many years. She couldn't judge them based on where they shopped pre-walkers. Besides, the prison didn't lend itself to secrets and Rick (or Daryl especially) wouldn't tolerate abuse even if it was just a suspicion.

Carol was just heading around the front of the truck, past Leon, when she got an odd feeling, like she was being watched or was in danger. She scanned the tree line immediately but saw nothing. As soon as it came, the feeling was gone. Back to the job at hand she headed, shaking her head. All this stress was making her as jumpy as Daryl.

A few minutes later she heard an odd noise as she stood at the side of the truck between Rick and Amber. She cocked her head to one side. Huh, that's odd she thought, an owl hooting in the daytime. Hadn't her and Daryl talked about that one night recently? What was it he had told her his grandmother's superstition had been? Once more the owl sounded and then her heart froze as she remembered.

_An owl hooting in the daytime means..._

She grabbed a wrist of Amber's and Rick's each and threw herself down on the ground, screaming in Leon's direction as he opened up the stock trailer to let the animals out.

"GET DOWN!"

She prayed she was wrong as she hit the ground hard enough to knock the breath out of her lungs, that it was just an owl. But her fears were proven when the thwack of an arrow hitting flesh filled the air just before she felt warm blood spray over her face.

Instant death was raining itself down on her new friends.


	8. Chapter 8

**Thank you all for the kind reviews. This chapter was emotionally draining, I hope I did it justice. Please let me know, good or bad**

Carol paced across the guard tower with her arms across her chest in the thin light of dusk. Daryl crouched against the far wall silently with his head in his hands. They had been like this ever since he had helped carry Leon into the prison with Carol holding the arrow that jutted out of his shoulder still, so it wouldn't do any more damage.

Carol shivered and pulled her sweater tighter around her shoulders. The temperature had dropped significantly since the gruesome scene played out between the fences. Leon's blood was now dry on both of their shirts, a grisly reminder of Daryl's possibly deadly misstep.

As soon as Leon had been deposited inside the infirmary, Daryl had stumbled out, his face a sickly gray. Amber had stepped past Daryl with tight lips and a glare as she ran out to their vehicles to grab bandages and a field surgical kit. After she passed, he headed out to the tower without a word to anyone, leaving his bow where he dropped it in the field to help Rick carry the injured man into the prison. Carol followed him, knowing that with Amber's medical experience she could add no more to what could be done. Daryl's steps faltered only when he passed Beth and Maggie, who were leading the six crying children to an empty cell as their mother assisted Herschel in his attempts to keep their father alive. Daryl had stopped then and swayed for a minute with his hand on the wall as if fighting to stay upright. Carol reached out for his shoulder but he had jerked away and moved forward again.

She stopped her pacing, looking at Daryl's seemingly withered form against the wall. She finally moved to his side, sliding down the wall to sit next to him. He didn't move or acknowledge her presence, just squatted with his head down, his breath coming out in strangled wheezes as if choking on the reality of what he had done.

Carol waited several long minutes until she reached out to Daryl, trying to smooth his hair back where it fell across his forehead. He flinched at her touch for the first time in a long time, sliding down to sit with his head on his drawn up knees, looking very much like a frightened little boy. He still seemed incapable of interaction, or maybe thought himself unworthy of it.

"Daryl." she spoke low and carefully. If she saw that flinch again she wouldn't be able to hold back the tears. He shook his head almost imperceptibly, refusing to answer or meet her eyes.

"Daryl, please, just look at me."

He turned his head up to her slowly, and as his eyes met hers, they seemed ancient and exhausted. He looked at her for a moment before speaking, like he had to remember who she was.

"I'm a murderer." His voice was flat and resigned.

"It was an accident."

"I killed an innocent man in front'a his family. I'm a murderer." His last sentence had a grim air of finality.

"Daryl, you don't even know...he was alive when he came out here. They have medical supplies, his wife's a nurse..."

"You need to go." He turned back away from her to stare at the far wall.

"No. I'm not leaving, no matter what happens in there."

A muscle in his jaw flexed but he still stared away from her.

"I said ya need TO GO."

She just sat, her refusal obvious.

He turned his face to her again, his breath now jerking out of his lungs. "Ya don't understand, I almost...almost..." He shook his head violently, pressing the heels of his hands against his temples for a second as if trying to rid his brain of something.

Carol was about to ask him what he was trying to say when the door clicked and then swung slowly open. Amber stepped in, her arms wrapped across her stomach. Her face was unreadable, the animated woman of earlier gone. Her vibrant pink shirt was flecked with burgundy so dark it was almost black.

"He's alive."

Carol released a breath she didn't realize she was holding as Daryl sagged against the wall, running one hand over his face.

"He's weak, lost a lot of blood, but it looks like he's going to make it with the antibiotics we had."

"Thank God." Carol breathed. "I'm so..."

"No." Amber interrupted her, holding up a hand. "It was an accident.", she unknowingly repeated Carol's words from only a minute before.

She knelt down in front of them and extended a hand to place it on Daryl's shoulder, only to draw it back when he cringed as if he expected her to strike. Carol's heart was suddenly aching.

Amber looked to Carol for a second before addressing him again.

"Leon wants to know if you're okay."

Daryl squinted at her in confusion. "What?"

"He woke up for a little bit after we got the bleeding stopped. After I told him you thought your family was in danger and that no one else was injured, he wanted to make sure you were okay."

"But _why?", _Daryl's voice broke, belying emotion that he never had before shown in front of a stranger.

Amber sighed gave Daryl a small tired smile and shrugged, "Because that's just who he is."

Daryl shook his head slowly in disbelief as his brow furrowed.

Amber turned to Carol. "You all need to get some rest. Leon's sleeping, he'll be upset if y'all don't too. If you need some meds to help, we have some."

Carol found Daryl's hand and wrapped her fingers around it. He didn't hold hers back but didn't pull away either. "I think we'll be alright."

She knew that was a lie.

Amber rose and moved back to the door. She turned before she left.

"Daryl?"

"Yes'm?" he choked out.

"That was smart, what you did with the owl call. My granny taught me that a owl hooting in the daytime means death is coming. I'm glad that today, it didn't ring true..." she hesitated looking down for a second before finishing.

"...for _both_ your sakes."


End file.
